Good to be home

Homecoming was always a time of great joy and many tears me. The tears came with a sense of relief that the seven-month deployment was finally over and I was back home with family. But the next deployment was always in the back of my mind, which would within the year.

GROTON, Conn. (July 22, 2009)-- Culinary Specialist 1st Class Joseph Appold hugs his wife and his 1-year-old son upon the return of the Virginia-class attack submarine USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) to Submarine Base New London. New Hampshire returned from her maiden deployment and was the first Virginia-class submarine to be deployed to the U.S. European Command area of responsibility.

U.S. Navy photo by John Narewski.